Principal Investigator: Brian Timko, PhD (CV)
Associate Professor Brian Timko graduated from Lehigh University with B.S. degrees in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and from Harvard University with a Ph.D. in Chemistry. He completed his graduate studies in the laboratory of Professor Charles Lieber, where he studied semiconductor nanowires and how they could be stably interfaced with living cells and tissue. He then completed postdoctoral studies with Professor Robert Langer at MIT and Professor Daniel Kohane at Boston Children’s Hospital. During that time, he studied nanocomposite materials for cardiac tissue engineering and remotely triggered drug delivery. Subsequently, he was Instructor in Anaesthesiology at Boston Children’s Hospital; and in 2016, he joined Tufts University as Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7958-8980
PhD Students
 Ryan Ashiqueali
Ryan Ashiqueali is currently pursuing a graduate degree while contributing to Pfizer’s Internal Medicine Research Unit (IMRU) to support innovative drug discovery programs.
He holds a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from Tufts University School of Medicine, where his thesis explored the impact of HDAC inhibition on the blood-brain barrier following stroke.
He also earned a dual undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences and Sociology from Emory University. Ryan plans on working on integrating of silicon nanowires into human motor neurospheres, to explore their translational potential.
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 Rofiat Kajola
Rofiat has an Associate degree in Science Laboratory Technology, a BSc in Biochemistry from Nigeria, and an MSc in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Rochester. She has interned at the Aviation Medical Clinic and Tuyil Pharmaceutical Industry in Nigeria. Her research has focused on evaluating pressure-driven blood cell separation using slit filters. Rofiat has proposed a technology for the separation of leukocytes from red blood cells and platelets, which is designed to enable rapid and cost-effective separation of blood cells.
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 H. Greg Lin
Greg holds a B.E. in Electrical Engineering from Stony Brook University and a M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University. He also earned an A.L.M. in Finance from Harvard University, where he currently serves as a Principal Scientist at the Harvard Center for Nanoscale Systems (CNS). Prior to joining CNS, Greg gained experience working for several nanotechnology startups. In May 2025, he joins the Timko Lab as a Ph.D. student to pursue research in bioelectronics and biomaterials for regenerative biomedical applications.
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MS Students
 Kfir Flank
I am a recent graduate from Boston University where I double majored in Biomedical Engineering and Computer Engineering. During my undergraduate studies I was involved in computational Alzheimer’s Disease research where I used MRI images to create new models. After graduation I worked as a data analyst and worked in a school as a tutor for 5th grade science. In my free time I enjoy competing in triathlons, rock climbing, snowboarding, and being in the outdoors.
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 Yumeng Chen
Yumeng Chen is a master’s student who graduated from Capital Medical University and Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. She has interned at Beijing Hospital and Sanofi, devoting herself to researching the integration of hardware devices and software. She has designed an Arduino-based ECG acquisition system, utilized convolutional neural networks for image classification, and investigated the quality testing standards of ECMO systems. She has proposed daily quality control testing solutions involving analyzing technical standards, designing signal acquisition systems, developing filtering algorithms, and utilizing image processing techniques to provide technical support for quality control testing specifications.
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Undergraduate Students
 Ty D’Amico, BME ’27
Ty D’Amico is an undergraduate student pursuing Biomedical Engineering at Tufts University. His current research involves assisting in developing and analyzing nanofibers designed for cardiac patches; however, his interests span across bioelectronics applications in the cardiac, neurologic, and orthopedic fields. At Tufts, Ty is the captain of the Men’s Club Volleyball team as well as a member of the Biomedical Engineering Society. In his free time he enjoys running, playing the cello, and watching baseball!
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 Julian Han, BME ’26
Julian Han is an undergraduate student on the pre-medicine track at Tufts University pursuing a degree in Biomedical Engineering. His current research interests mainly involve fabricating microscopic electrode arrays and their potential for organ-on-a-chip microfluidics devices. Outside of classes and the Timko Lab, Julian works as a medical scribe at Sheth-Horsley Eye Center, volunteers with the Tufts Cancer Outreach Club, and keeps bees in his backyard. In his free time, Julian plays cello and enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, rock climbing, and skiing.
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 Areli Aguilar Garcia, BME ’27
Areli Aguilar Garcia is an undergraduate student pursuing Biomedical Engineering at Tufts University. Her current research interests include developing bioelectronics for cardiovascular tissue engineering. At Tufts, Areli is a mentor for the FIRST Center Peer Leader program and is also heavily involved with Tufts’ Society of Latinx Engineers & Scientists (SOLES). Outside of academics, Areli loves hiking, reading, journaling, and listening to music!
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 Amanda Lee, BME ’26
Amanda Lee is a second-year undergraduate student studying Biomedical Engineering with a Minor in English. She is passionate in studying women’s reproductive health and diseases, as well as promoting diversity in STEM. Outside of academics, she spends her time reading classics, crocheting, and playing the flute in the Tufts University Pep Band
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